Zucchini Pizza Bites
on Jun 22, 2022, Updated Apr 08, 2024
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These zucchini pizza bites are soft textured with cheesy goodness. They are a fun way to incorporate zucchini into your little one’s diet!
These mini zucchini pizza bites are a fun take on classic pizzas. They are packed with nutrients from the zucchini but still full of cheesy flavor! If you have a pizza lover at home, they’ll love these mini bites!
And if you’ve got more zucchini that you’d like to use up, try out this chocolate-baked oatmeal with zucchini, zucchini carrot tots, and these savory zucchini waffles!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these zucchini pizza bites:
- Zucchini: The main star ingredient for these bites.
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use plain flavored panko breadcrumbs but you can use Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs for more flavor in the bites!
- Egg: Used as a binder to help hold the crust of the bites together
- Shredded Cheese: Used to add flavor to these fritters/bites. I used Mozzarella cheese in this recipe.
- Italian Seasoning: Used to add extra pizza flavor to the bites.
- Salt: Optional for a little added taste.
- Mini Pepperoni: Optional ingredient for more pizza flavor! You can use any toppings of choice or skip this for plain cheese zucchini pizza bites!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions & Additions
- Zucchini: If you are looking for some bites that use a different type of veggie as the base, you can try these broccoli and cheese bites!
- Eggs: For an egg-free version, substitute the egg with a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water and letting it sit in the fridge for 15 minutes to set and thicken.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but for a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour.
- Cheese: For a dairy-free version, substitute the cheese for dairy-free shredded cheese.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Shred the zucchini using a cheese grater. I used the smallest-sized holes on my box grater to get the mixture to be as smooth as possible, but if you prefer larger chunks of zucchini in the pizza crust, use a larger-sized hole on the grater. You should end up with about 1.5 cups of packed shredded zucchini (Image 1).
STEP 2: Use your hands or a towel to squeeze out as much moisture from the zucchini as possible. You may also place the zucchini over a sieve and use the back of a spoon to press down on it to remove the moisture. Once you remove the moisture, you should end up with around 3/4 cup of packed shredded zucchini (Image 2).
STEP 3: Add the zucchini to a bowl along with the other ingredients. Mix well until combined (Images 3 & 4).
STEP 4: Scoop out 1/2 tablespoon-sized portions into a silicone mini muffin pan. Use the back of a spoon to press down the mixture into the mini muffin tins to form the crust (Image 5).
STEP 5: Bake the crusts at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to slightly brown.
STEP 6: Remove them from the oven and sprinkle in the remaining cheese. Top each mini bite with 3 pieces of mini pepperoni or topping of choice (Image 6). Place the zucchini pizza bites back into the oven for an additional 3 minutes so that the cheese can fully melt.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, store the zucchini fritters/bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake the fritters at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. To freeze, place the cooled fritters in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag with parchment paper lined between each one and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before reheating, or quickly reheat on high in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Tips For Success
- It is extremely important to remove as much moisture from the zucchini as possible. Excess moisture will result in an over-moist mixture that will cause the bites to be soggy. You can use your hands or a towel, but I find that using a nut milk bag is the easiest way to remove the most moisture.
- This recipe makes 24 mini zucchini pizza bites.
- When making bites, I like to use a silicone muffin pan to bake them as they pop out easily without any sticking. If using a regular mini muffin pan, be sure to coat it with a cooking spray beforehand. Avoid using paper liners as these bites will stick.
- I love serving these bites with marinara sauce to dip into. My favorite brand is the Rao’s Homemade marinara.
Other Zucchini Recipes You’ll Love
Cheesy Zucchini Fritters (Or Bites!)
Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
Sweet Potato Zucchini Tots
Zucchini Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini, packed, (about 2 small, or 1.5 medium zucchini)
- ¼ cup plain panko breadcrumbs , or use Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs for more flavor!
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ for mixture and ½ for topping
- ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt, optional
- ¼ cup mini pepperoni, or toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
- Shred the zucchini using a cheese grater. I used the smallest sized holes on my box grater to get the mixture to be as smooth as possible, but if you prefer larger chunks of zucchini in the pizza crust, use a larger sized hole on the grater. You should end up with about 1.5 cups of packed shredded zucchini.
- Use your hands or a towel to squeeze out as much moisture from the zucchini as possible. You may also place the zucchini over a sieve and use the back of a spoon to press down on it to remove the moisture. Once you remove the moisture, you should end up with around 3/4 cup of packed shredded zucchini.
- Add the zucchini to a bowl along with the other ingredients. Mix well until combined.
- Scoop out 1/2 tablespoon sized portions into a silicone mini muffin pan. Use the back of a spoon to press down the mixture into the mini muffin tins to form the crust.
- Bake the crusts for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to slightly brown.
- Remove them from the oven and sprinkle in the remaining cheese. Top each mini bite with 3 pieces of mini pepperoni (or topping of choice). Place the zucchini pizza bites back into the oven for an additional 3 minutes so that the cheese can fully melt.
Notes
- It is extremely important to remove as much moisture from the zucchini as possible. Excess moisture will result in an over moist mixture that will cause the bites to be soggy. You can use your hands or a towel, but I find that using a nut milk bag is the easiest way to remove the most moisture.
- This recipe makes 24 mini zucchini pizza bites.
- When making bites, I like to use a silicone muffin pan to bake them as they pop out easily without any sticking. If using a regular mini muffin pan, be sure to coat with a cooking spray beforehand. Avoid using paper liners as these bites will stick.
- I love serving these bites with marinara sauce to dip into. My favorite brand is the Rao’s Homemade marinara.
Delicious and healthy! I made the crust using your broccoli bites recipe because I didn’t have zucchini on hand. I made 1 large crust using a cast iron. After the crust was cooked, I added a thin layer of pizza sauce, cheese, then pepperoni and placed it back in the oven for a few minutes. The crust was crunchy and held up. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Calvina! Love the idea of adding in some pizza sauce!😊
My 2 and 9 year old love these. They are delish and a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies!
I’m so glad to hear that your little ones enjoyed these bites!😊
Absolutely delicious! congratulations on such a good idea! my daughter loved them! She’s not a big fan of zucchini so this was a big deal for us!
I’m so glad that your little one enjoyed these, Romina!😊
Would these be okay if we made them with marinara on top with the cheese and pepperoni and then baked it?
Hi Jessica! Yes you can definitely add some marinara sauce! I would add just a small amount on each mini bite so that they aren’t too soggy in texture once baked😊
Literally my go to recipe – it takes two seconds and my son loves it. I believe it’s because the texture is softer and much more easier for him to chew. He is now 14 months and has been eating this pizza since he was 10months.
I love this IG page it has truly helped me be the mom I thought I was going to be in my head but lack the creative recipes lol. Thank you
I’m so glad to hear that your little one enjoys these pizza bites! And I’m so glad that you’ve been finding the page and site helpful, Alexis!😊
Do you think these would be okay with substituting egg (flax egg) and using a non-dairy cheese? My son has a milk and egg allergy and we are also struggling with veggies.
Hi Kathryn! Yes those two swaps will still work for these bites😊
my edges were crispy but i may have put too much mixture in, the inside is squidgy still (also my mix was more moist than yours i dont think i drained the zucchini enough!)
will it still be ok to eat? i.e. its cooked inside even if its still soft mixture texture?
Thanks!
Hi Mevi! Did you use a mini silicone muffin pan? It’s ok if they’re slightly soft inside, they’re still safe to eat😊
Easy, delicious, and my almost two year old loves them! I followed the recipe as written and wouldn’t change a thing!
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing your great feedback, Quinn!😊
Hi! We are planning to make them tomorrow! Do you freeze them for storage?
Hi Maria! You can either store them in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer safe ziploc bag😊
These turned out great! The 14 month old and the husband asked for more. Thank you so much for posting these recipes. I honestly would be lost without them.
Hi Bernadette! I’m SO happy to hear that you all enjoyed these bites! Thank you for sharing your great review!😊